Ryde, New South Wales
| pop_footnotes = | area = | stategov = Lane Cove, Ryde | fedgov = Bennelong | near-nw = Denistone East | near-n = North Ryde | near-ne = East Ryde | near-w = West Ryde | near-e = Gladesville | near-sw = Meadowbank Rhodes | near-s = Putney | near-se = Tennyson Point | dist1 = 13 | dir1 = north-west | location1= Sydney CBD }} Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ryde is located 13 km north-west of the Sydney central business district and 8 km east of Parramatta. Ryde is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Suburbs area. It lies on the north bank of the Parramatta River. History Ryde was named after the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. It may have been adopted from G.M. Pope, who came from Ryde on the Isle of Wight, who settled in the area and opened the 'Ryde Store'.The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, p.234 ISBN 0-207-14495-8 Ryde is the third oldest settlement in Australia, after Sydney and Parramatta. Originally, known by its Aboriginal name Wallumetta, the whole area between Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers became known as the Field of Mars. The name Ryde was used from the 1840s and adopted as the name of the municipality in 1870. The suburb contains the oldest settler's cottage in Australia, Addington, on Victoria Road. Addington was built by the emancipist James Stewart, circa 1800. James Shepherd bought the property in 1810 and added a six-room house to the original sandstone cottage.Parramatta River Walk, Department of Planning, New South Wales, 1989, p.25 Other historic buildings in the area include the police station on Victoria Road and Willandra, Willandra Street. The police station, a simple sandstone structure, was designed by Colonial Architect Mortimer Lewis and built in 1837. Willandra is a two-storey Georgian home built by the Devlin family circa 1845, and more recently used as an art gallery and headquarters for the Ryde and District Historical Society. Both Willandra and the police station are listed on the Register of the National Estate.The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p. 2/63 The cottage Riversdale, in Wade Street, was the home of a well-known riverboat captain by the name of Robert Gascoigne, who lived in the area circa 1900.Parramatta River Walk, Department of Planning, New South Wales, 1989, p.21 As Ryde was located at the top of the hill (from whichever way you approached it) it also became known as 'Top Ryde'. Ryde Swimming Centre was demolished and rebuilt as Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre, and hosted events of the 2000 Olympics. Trams The majority of services operated from Fort Macquarie and Circular Quay down George St to Broadway and Parramatta Road. In the peak hours and other busy periods, supplementary services operated from Railway Square. Tram services to Drummoyne and Ryde were serviced by the Rozelle Tram Depot. The service, after departing the depot travelled along the Crescent and Commercial Road (now City West Link Road) in Glebe, turning left onto Victoria Road. It then crossed the Iron Cove Bridge and the former Gladesville Bridge before turning right onto Blaxland Road. It then wound its way along Blaxland Road, behind the site of the current council chambers, terminating near the intersection of Pope and Devlin Street in Ryde.Gregory's Street Directory, 1955, map 72, reference D-13. Map 26 Reference K-16 Commercial area Top Ryde is an unofficial locality within Ryde, which contains the commercial area of the suburb, centred around the intersection of Devlin Street and Blaxland Road. Top Ryde City is a major shopping centre there. The original Top Ryde shopping centre on this site was the second of its type to be built in Australia. Top Ryde is the location of the Ryde council office, and library. 2RRR is a community radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting to the Ryde area on 88.5 FM. Transport The Ryde Bridge links Ryde south to Rhodes, over the Parramatta River. Sydney Buses operate a number of services in Ryde including: * M41 - Marsfield via Macquarie Park or Hurstville via Campsie * M52 - Sydney CBD (limited stops) or Parramatta via Ermington * 287 - Milsons Point via Lane Cove (Weekday AM peak service) * 458 - Macquarie Centre or Burwood via Concord * 459 - Macquarie Centre or Strathfield via Concord * 500 - Sydney CBD via Rozelle * 501 - Sydney CBD via Pyrmont or West Ryde * 507 - Sydney CBD via Putney or Macquarie Centre via North Ryde * 515 - Sydney CBD via Rozelle or Eastwood via Denistone * 518 - Sydney CBD via Rozelle or Macquaire Centre via Denistone East * 520 - Sydney CBD via Rozelle or Parramatta via Ermington The main closest train station for the access to Ryde is West Ryde railway station which is on the Northern line of the CityRail network. Schools Schools in Ryde include government schools such as Ryde Secondary College (formerly Malvina High School) and Ryde Public School. It also includes a few private schools such as Holy Cross College Ryde. Thehttp://www.germanschoolsydney.com German International School Sydney operated in Ryde from 1992 to 2008 and moved to Terrey Hills in August 2008. Churches Ryde contains St Anne's Anglican Church, Church Street, which has the grave of Maria Ann Sherwood Smith, in whose orchards the Granny Smith apple was first found. Every year, in the suburb of Eastwood, the Granny Smith Festival is held in her honour. The church was built in 1826 and extended in later years. It was a central feature in the early life of the area and is now listed on the Register of the National Estate.The Heritage of Australia, p.2/63 Church Street is also the location of Ryde Wesley Uniting Church. Parks and recreation Santa Rosa Park is located between Quarry Road and Bridge Road. It features a separated pathway for walking and bike riders. Shrimptons Creek runs through the park in a north-easterly direction flowing into the Lane Cove River. The park is used for football and cricket. Gannan Park was once a quarry and brickworks and is accessed from Buna Court, Minga Street and McAuley Park. Ryde Pool was home to water polo events for the Sydney Olympics, held in 2000. The pool is now owned by Ryde City Council. Population Notable residents * Bennelong - One of the most notable Indigenous Australians who served as a link between the colony at Port Jackson and the Eora people is buried in present day Putney. * Karen Moras - Olympic bronze medallist in swimming and world record holder, was born in Ryde in 1954. * John Roberston - Leader of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales. * Maria Ann Smith - Credited with producing the Granny Smith apple lived in Eastwood and is buried in Ryde. * James Squire - Convict brewer, who is claimed to have created Australia's first commercial brewery. * Hayden Turner - Zookeeper and TV presenter. * John Watkins - The former Deputy Premier of NSW and Minister for Transport and Finance in NSW. Image:VictoriaRoad7.JPG|Police station (designed by Mortimer Lewis), Victoria Road Image:VictoriaRoad8.JPG|Court House, Victoria Road Image:VictoriaRoad11.JPG|Addington cottage, circa 1800, Victoria Road Image:Riversdale4.JPG|Riversdale, the former home of a Ryde riverboat captain References